Approaching home plate with bat in hand, Padres outfielder Scott Hairston looked down the third-base line at a familiar fellow standing on the bag, a teammate with the same name on the front of his jersey and the same name on the back.

Jerry Hairston Jr., who’d reached third with his leadoff double in the seven inning against Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Dave Bush and Nick Hundley’s sacrifice, didn’t need to look in to see who batted next. Being the older brother, too, he saw something more than just a scoring opportunity at play.

“Me standing on third, waiting for him to come up to the plate,” said Jerry Jr., “that was like me waiting for him to get to the big leagues.”

Just as the symbolism wasn’t lost on Jerry Jr., the chance wasn’t lost on Scott, who launched one of his rockets off the brick facade of the Western Metal Supply building. Thus, when he crossed the plate, it was both two runs and a family reunion.

“Knocking him in, him being there at home plate,” Scott said, “that’s my favorite moment of the year.”

As noted by Jerry Jr., it might not have meant nearly as much if their parlay that night hadn’t contributed to a 3-0 win. And the 2010 story of the Hairstons wouldn’t be nearly so warm and fuzzy if they were teammates on a losing ballclub.

Both have had quite enough of life under. 500, thank you, even as they spent most of their simultaneous careers three times zones and a different league away.

Now in his 13th season, Jerry Jr. has never spent an entire summer with a team that finished the campaign with a winning record. The World Series ring he won after being traded to the New York Yankees last year sure helped offset all the difficult years with the Baltimore Orioles and the sub-. 500 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds.

Scott, though almost exactly four years younger, has had similar experiences in his six-plus seasons. The Arizona Diamondbacks struggled in his first three seasons (2004-06). Like his older brother, he’s been traded thrice, once from and once back to the Padres.

“Let’s be honest, everything’s better when you’re winning,” Jerry Jr. said. “We wanted to be able to enjoy each other, play together, but it was real important to both of us that we win here. That’s why we were brought here, not because we’re brothers.

“We stressed that in spring training. We didn’t want to have our own little clique. The way this team’s clicked, it’s like we’re all brothers.”

Indeed, the Hairstons keep their lockers clear across the spacious Padres clubhouse from each other. Save their versatility, they are far from the same player, starting with the kind of things they do at the plate.

Then again, in the 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies that was decided by Chase Headley’s walk-off liner, it was Jerry Jr. who’d driven home the two previous runs with a sacrifice fly and a triple.

Scott’s pretty much an everyday outfielder who seems to play a different spot every day. Jerry Jr.’s even more utilitarian, which was why the Padres signed him as a free agent in the offseason, and already he’s proven himself diverse enough to have started games both at second base and right field.

The latter Hairston became more vital to the Padres with the hamstring injury that put shortstop Everth Cabrera on the disabled list. Even before then, Hairston had surprised people with the range and balletics that he brought to the position.

“I’ve seen him making those plays before, but mostly on highlight tapes and whatnot,” Scott said. “He’ll be 34 at the end of the month, but he’s playing like he’s in his mid-20s. He’s still a sparkplug. He’s helped us, made plays that have saved runs. And I don’t say that just because he’s my brother.”